The woods are open in refreshed Irish Forest Rally Championship

Organisers of the Motorsport Ireland Forest Rally Championship have revealed a seven round calendar for 2022. The championship returns for the first time in two years on February’s Killarney Forest Rally.

In fact, it is 15 years since Killarney’s last gravel rally. The Killarney Forest Rally opens the championship on 20 February before Carrick-on-Suir’s Willie Loughman Memorial Rally which shifts back to April.

A set single-day entry fee will be applied across the championship events. Organisers also hope a no recce policy increases the championship’s cost-effectiveness. Pacenotes are refined from video footage instead.

The Motorsport Ireland Forest Rally Championship continues to welcome J1000 entrants. The junior series has been earmarked as a key stepping stone in MI’s development path for young crews.

Munster’s Moonraker Forest Rally, Cork’s Jim Walsh Forest Rally, and Omagh’s Bushwhacker Rally provide a familiar backbone to the championship from July to September.

Competitors will sample Leitrim’s Midland Forest Rally in May. The new event, which is pencilled in as the championship’s third round, is still subject to confirmation.

One final slot in the calendar is still to be revealed as organisers aim to bring the championship back with seven rounds.

Championship points will be taken from competitors’ best five scores. The Motorsport Ireland Forest Rally Championship will have its two-wheel-drive crews run in reverse seeding order before four-wheel-drive crews follow in their seeded order.

Motorsport Ireland Forest Rally Championship 2022 calendar

Round 1: Killarney Forest Rally // 20 Feb
Round 2: Willie Loughman Memorial Forest Rally // 9 Apr
Round 3: Midland Forest Rally // 22 May *
Round 4: Moonraker Forest Rally // 2 July
Round 5: Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally // 14 Aug
Round 6: Bushwhacker Rally // 17 Sep
Round 7: TBC
*Midland Forest Rally subject to confirmation

Photos courtesy of Rally Through a Lens and Cian Don